The present invention relates to an article of footwear, and in particular to a sports shoe with a heel cushioning system.
Articles with cushioning systems have been proposed. Miller et al. (U.S. Pat. No. 5,797,199) teaches a shoe with pods. The sole includes a plurality of concave cavities. Miller teaches an insert that is made of a thermoplastic material or graphite material and can be used to help restore the midsole after the application of a force.
Hardy et al. (U.S. patent application publication number 2006/0277793) teaches a shoe with a heel grid system. Hardy teaches a midsole insert including a grid system. The grid system comprises a grid of flexible fibers. Hardy also teaches a base structure that can be used to limit the deflection of the grid system. Hardy teaches that the base structure can have a curved shape.
The related art lacks provisions for supporting an irregularly shaped insert substantially open to the ground on a lower surface of an insole. There is a need in the art for a design that solves these problems.